Facebook name check! Journalist/sex worker! Who should I email at FB?

January 16, 2016 4:11 AM

I've been Facebook name checked, and I don't want to use my legal name - my Facebook name (shown on my profile) is my authentic name. I understand that public figures can contact someone at Facebook with clips and screenshots showing use of the name, and get to keep their authentic name. Who at FB is the best person to contact?

I am a journalist and a few people have suggested I write about it, but I am very happy to pursue this through the appropriate channels if I can find the right person.

The friend who got to keep her working name contacted someone in August and I've reached out to that person, but people do change jobs and I would like to get any more up to date leads for people (or working groups?) at Facebook that can discuss this with me.

Any anecdotal experience of the process, or advice, would be useful. Please feel free to reach out via contact forms, mods, or my email (margaretcorvid at gmail)

I should also underscore that as a feminist on the Internet who often discusses sexuality, it's neither safe nor appropriate for me to be forced to use my legal name on Facebook.

Thanks to all.

posted by Mistress to Media & Arts (17 answers total)

Have you been flagged as using a "fake" name? I used an alternate name for months before I legally changed it. No proof or communication was required.
posted by desjardins at 8:16 AM on January 16, 2016

Response by poster: Yea I've been flagged for using a fake name and it's asking for ID.
posted by Mistress at 9:10 AM on January 16, 2016

You know, Facebook just went through this very publicly with drag performers, and said that they had found a resolution. I'm out on my phone, so I can't be a ton of help, but maybe figuring out who they're working with would be helpful?
posted by joycehealy at 1:03 PM on January 16, 2016

Have you tried this Google search - Facebook real name policy change ? It brings up this Guardian article among other links that might offer a research trail.
posted by Carbolic at 2:03 PM on January 16, 2016

What if you just ignore it? Are they threatening to shut down your profile? There's a good chance this may be on of those situations where they want to push you to update to a real name, but cannot/won't force you.
posted by AppleTurnover at 2:53 PM on January 16, 2016

Honestly I'd just scan in your real ID and photoshop your desired name onto it. It's not like they're the government.
posted by desjardins at 2:55 PM on January 16, 2016 [3 favorites]

Fb is still being really bad about this. The My Name Is campaign is the best place to contact, but they are limited in what they can do.
posted by gingerbeer at 2:56 PM on January 16, 2016

Here is the Facebook name policy. Apparently they will now accept two non-governmental forms of ID (e.g. a library card, magazine subscription label or paystub) AND a government photo ID even if the name on the photo ID doesn't match the other ID's. Do you have things like this that have your authentic name on them?
posted by triggerfinger at 2:58 PM on January 16, 2016

And yeah, people seem to have the best results with photoshop.
posted by gingerbeer at 3:08 PM on January 16, 2016

I'm on a Slack chat that has people who work at Facebook on the name end of things, I'll ask around.
posted by divabat at 7:32 PM on January 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

Honestly I'd just scan in your real ID and photoshop your desired name onto it. It's not like they're the government.

Erm. Supplying a Photoshopped ID is obviously a stupid trivial thing, and I don't know US laws but it is arguably both what we in Australia would call obtaining a financial advantage by deception and also forgery (making a false document).

I presume you were reported by someone with a grudge against you; that person will still be around, and they now would have something more substantial to use against you. Also, if Facebook discovers the deception they may just close your account down or something.

Like I say, it's a stupid trivial thing that's only occasioned by Facebook's stupid rules, but you're being advised to do something that potentially has real-world ramifications. It's like lying to a customs or immigration officer; 99 times out of a hundred nothing happens and you get through the line more quickly. That one time out of a hundred, though ...
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:18 AM on January 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Since you are a journalist, can you get an exemption for a pseudonym? I have noticed that many "youtubers" have facebook pages under their youtube handle. I assume they can do this in the same way that a sole proprietor of a small business can do the same.
posted by 445supermag at 8:00 AM on January 17, 2016

MefiMailing you re the Facebook connection.
posted by divabat at 8:19 AM on January 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Erm. Supplying a Photoshopped ID is obviously a stupid trivial thing, and I don't know US laws but it is arguably both what we in Australia would call obtaining a financial advantage by deception and also forgery (making a false document).

Actually, pseudonyms and common law names are protected under the 1st amendment of the US constitution. She might be violating Facebook's TOS but I doubt she is violating any laws since she is not using the photoshopped ID to gain financial advantage. Even if she were I don't think it would be a legal issue, cf. Stephen King publishing as Richard Bachman (and many other examples). Obviously he benefited financially from this.

However, I am not a lawyer.
posted by desjardins at 8:49 AM on January 17, 2016

Response by poster: I would like solutions that don't involve forgery :)
posted by Mistress at 8:51 AM on January 17, 2016

MefiMailed you!
posted by littlemisslaika at 12:26 PM on January 17, 2016

Response by poster: Sorted it :)

Thanks to everyone who helped. It was a multi effort process!
posted by Mistress at 2:04 AM on January 22, 2016